


Wide eyes

by wanderingalonelypath



Series: Fair Game Week 2020 [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Clover has insomnia, M/M, let huntsmen have mental health issues, t for sex mention, we love talking about the ptsd being a huntsman would SURELY cause
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-22 23:15:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23235253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderingalonelypath/pseuds/wanderingalonelypath
Summary: Clover had insomnia. It wasn’t something many (read: none) knew about him.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Series: Fair Game Week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1665913
Comments: 6
Kudos: 65





	Wide eyes

Clover had insomnia. It wasn’t something many (read: none) knew about him.

That was entirely on purpose. The life of a Huntsman was never an easy one, especially one in the military. The effect of the Huntsman lifestyle was a subject of much psychological study with a long list of results. Clover knew most of them, despite how little they actually teach huntsman and huntresses-in training about it.

Nightmares. Shakes. Flashbacks. Triggers. Hypersexuality. The list went on and on and somewhere on that list was insomnia. Clover wasn’t unique; he was one in the thousands of Huntsman who had to deal with something like this. He never complained; he knew just as others had it better than him there were others that had it worse. Not being able to sleep sometimes (more than sometimes) was getting off easy, in his opinion. And even on the days when he was running on little energy, his semblance compensated, so no one ever figured out that he didn’t sleep on a normal schedule.

He should’ve known that of all people, Qrow would notice. Especially since they had just started dating.

He didn’t say anything at first, because he hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary. After having a long talk about their pasts and respective baggage, they came to a mutual decision to take things slow. They went on regular dates, at first. Dinners and movies and walks in the park. PDA was slow going, but steady. So it made sense that Qrow didn’t put all the pieces together until they slept together for the first time.

They were basking in the afterglow, that lovely space of time where they were panting and cuddling and warm. It was well into the night, so it was barely a whispered question that Qrow was staying the night. He could feel the exhaustion, not just from the sex but from the activity all day; he and Qrow had been sent on a mission before their date and there was not an insignificant amount of fighting. By all accounts, he should be able to slip into sleep as easily as Qrow already had.

He wanted too. Gods, he wanted nothing more than to slip into a comforting sleep in the arms of the man he loved, to wake up rested and curled into him, trading sleepy smiles and kisses and contentment. He also knew that because he wanted it so bad, it definitely wasn’t going to happen. He only managed to lay in bed for another hour before he was too restless, gently lowering Qrow’s head off of his shoulder and onto the pillow.

Usually, Clover would get in some late-night training in an effort to tire himself out, or at least occupy his mind, but he didn’t want to tonight. He felt bad just leaving Qrow alone in his bed after the night they just shared. Also, he was still physically tired, so he didn’t feel like training. After puttering around in the living room for a bit, he finally settled down in his armchair with a book, careful to cut on one of his smaller lamps.

He was around the 6th chapter before the door to his room clicked open, and he looked up with a slightly guilty smile as Qrow shuffled out, clad in nothing but a pair of Clover’s sweatpants, rubbing sleep from his wine-red eyes. “Feel like I should be a little offended.” He snarked, shooting Clover a wink to show he wasn’t serious. He traced his shoulder absentmindedly as he passed Clover, heading into the kitchen for a glass of water, it sounded like. 

“It’s not a reflection on you, don’t worry.” He chuckled, marking his place before following him. The fluorescent light in Clover’s kitchen was harsh compared to the dull lamp in the living room, and Qrow squinted his eyes against the glare, leaning into Clover’s chest with a grumble. He chuckled, wrapping his arms around the bird’s waist and leaning back against the counter. They stood like that for a few minutes, the quiet hum of Atlas electricity the only sound surrounding them.

Finally, Qrow picked his face out of Clover’s neck and squinted up at him, his attempt at being intimidating ruined by how he still wrapped himself around the other man. “What’re you doing up, boy scout?” Clover smiled, flicking a stray piece of hair out of Qrow’s eyes and kissing his forehead. He entertained lying but decided there would ultimately be no point. If he wanted more nights like this with Qrow (and he did, many, many more), he needed to be honest. Besides, Qrow would figure it out soon if he hadn’t already.

“Insomnia.” He shrugged, stealing a slip of Qrow’s water. He was hoping Qrow would understand and let it slide; he had to know what the deal was. He had been a huntsman just as long as Clover had, after all. He probably had his own mix of side effects and drawbacks from his life of hunting Grimm.

But Qrow just stared at him with those fathomless eyes.

He thought for a second that Qrow would try to sit down with him, ask him why he couldn’t sleep or why he wouldn’t try, like all the doctors and therapists and some of his old boyfriends had. But he should know better than to think he knew anything about what Qrow was going to do next.

Taking the glass back from him, Qrow tilted his head back until he finished it, setting it in the sink and grabbing Clover’s hand. As they passed through the living room, Qrow snagged his book off the coffee table and switched the lamp off. He pulled them both back into bed, handing Clover his book as they curled together. “The lamp won’t bother me.” He rasped, tucking his face into Clover’s neck.

He sat frozen for a minute, holding the book dumbly as Qrow almost immediately fell back asleep. After a second, though, a fond smile crept onto his face. He ran a hand through Qrow’s hair, dropping a long kiss onto the top of his head before he cracked the book open again.

And when he woke up in the morning, he saw that his book was only a few pages ahead of where he opened it last night.

Maybe, sometimes, he could have those lazy mornings after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Day 5~ This one hits a little close to home for me, as this is something I personally struggle with. Plus I love writing about Huntsmen actually suffering from their lifestyle, as it's kinda something the show just ignores. Hope you enjoyed!


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